Pada mulanya terdapat pemberitaan di situs detik yang berjudul '50 Orang WN Singapura ini Diusir Imigrasi karena Ribut dan Cerewet di Batam' dimana dikatakan bahwa mereka ribut dan tidak sopan sehingga ditolak masuk oleh petugas imigrasi di Batam. Kutipan beritanya sebagai berikut: "Imigrasi melakukan tindakan tegas pada puluhan warga Singapura. Mereka diusir dari Batam, Indonesia. Mereka tak diperkenakan masuk. Alasannya mereka ribut dan cerewet." Setelah membaca berita, saya lanjutkan dengan membaca komentar pembaca dan kebanyakan dari para komentator adalah mendukung tindakan petugas imigrasi. Berita ini juga dimuat di situs kaskus dan kebanyakan komentarnya sama dengan yang di detik. Namun ada satu komentator yang unik dan mengatakan barangkali petugasnya yang nakal.
Untuk itu saya melakukan googling untuk mengetahui pendapat para turis yang diusir di batam dan saya berhasil menemukannya di situs: http://www.expatsingapore.com/forum/index.php?topic=89102.0
Agar pemberitaan seimbang maka saya kutip keluhan mereka sebagai berikut:
Harassment by corrupt immigration staff at Batam, Indonesia
After reaching Batam center for immigration, the indonesian immigration staff allowed me in (I hold Singapore passport), but they stopped my sister who has Indian passport and started going round and round from room to room (for money) and we followed them. They did not ask money. But they were holding her passport and said something like “passing visa” not available. That was "Bullshxx" She had valid visa (for USD10), valid passport, valid return ticket. I got annoyed and argued with them for sometime. But they can not speak english (were they pretending??)
They talk in Indonesian we talk in english. There was one passenger from India, who was also stopped and they demanded SGD200 from him. I said, I will NOT give any money. Finaly he said, you go back to Singapore and gave the passport to Batam ferry staff. He also started going round and round and we followed him. He refused to give her passport, but I can not understand what he says in Indo. Then I took my mobile and said, I will call police. Then he brought another ferry staff who could speak english and told me, to stay there and he will bring back the passport. I also agreed to give my passport. I think, he went for immigration “check-out” stamp. Then gave her passport to ferry captain. When all the passengers got in, he gave the passport to us.After reaching Singapore immigration at Harbour front, I informed the office about the incident, but he said, he can not do anything, as it is Indonesian side.I WILL NEVER GOTO INDONESIA AGAIN !!! (I told this to Indonesian immigration staff also, but he was least bothered)
Tentu ini hal yang menarik, berita haruslah berimbang, cover both sides dan inilah hasilnya. Saya secara pribadi percaya bahwa petugas imigrasi Batam yang melakukan upaya pungutan liar karena korupsi memang sudah mendarah daging di bumi pertiwi ini. Bentuk korupsi lainnya adalah permintaan dibayar dalam mata uang USD agar petugas imigrasi dapat mengambil untung dari nilai jual beli kurs mata uang USD. Ceritanya adalah sebagai berikut:
I once went and bought my visa-on-arrival. I'd gotten plenty of rupiah the day before, so gave the admin lady the rupiah for the cost of the visa she'd just prepared. Problem was, she insisted on getting USD. I said, no need, I have rupiah here, its YOUR currency! But she still insisted on getting paid in USD.
After a deadlock, 2 stern-looking uniformed chaps joined her cubicle and words were exchanged amongst them - in Bahasa of course. When I saw these 2 chaps enter the fray, I'd decided to capitulate, gave the lady my USD. The exchange rate she gave me was daylight robbery, so then I understood why she insisted on USD. They're mafia, plain and simple. Shame really, because their country is lovely. Hopefully they'll sort out these corruption issues.
Saya berharap untuk ke depan, masyarakat dapat bersikap lebih kritis terhadap perilaku para pejabat dan tidak begitu saja percaya terhadap berita yang disampaikan oleh mereka sehingga para pembaca mendukung pejabat yang korup itu, dengan alasan nasionalisme. Demikian pemberitaan ini disampaikan apa adanya. Mohon tindakan dari KPK atau pejabat lainnya untuk dapat memberantas praktik korupsi yang sudah dilakukan sejak jaman orde baru hingga sekarang ini. Seandainya Prabowo yang menang pilpres kemarin, petugas imigrasi ini bisa langsung hilang dari peredaran dan tindakan perbaikan dapat langsung dikerjakan.